The Wish
by yumi michiyo
Summary: Dark fic. Surrounded by blood and death, Kagome makes a wish on the Shikon Jewel... that Naraku never existed. Some Inuyasha/Kikyo, hinted Inuyasha/Kagome and Sango/Miroku. Rated for language and gore.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **This is a very disturbed, dark and twisted plot bunny who was begging to be written instead of the other fics in progress I was supposed to be working on. I think the premise has been done before, but indulge a sick bunny. Oh, and I'm deliberately ignoring the manga post-anime…because I claim creative license.

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Kagome had watched them all die before her eyes.

_This cannot be happening, this is not real,_she kept chanting in her mind.

The poisonous miasma filled her lungs, burning and searing. She choked. With a wave of her hand, she purified it before it could overcome her.

Naraku positioned himself in the middle of the plain, exuding his miasma, cloaking himself in the thick purple fumes. Tentacles sprouted from his final chosen form out of every single available orifice.

"Your friends are all dead," hissed the sibilant voice, raspy with barely suppressed power. The completed Shikon jewel, tainted black, was firmly embedded in his forehead. "You will be the next to fall, miko."

Half-choking, half-sobbing, Kagome notched another arrow in her bow and prepared to draw it back. She took aim and fired. The arrow buried itself deep into Naraku's gelatinous body, the wound oozing ichor. A bright flash of purifying energy incinerated that portion of the hanyou's body, forcing an animal howl and pain and fury. He lashed out with spiked tentacles, agglutinations of poison. The miko dived off her perch, narrowly missing the deadly edges.

_Inuyasha isn't around to save me anymore._

Fresh tears blurred her vision. Kagome wanted nothing more than to curl up in her bed, safe at home in modern day Tokyo, knowing that her friends were waiting foe her at the other end of the Bone Eater's Well in the Sengoku Jidai. The part of her that was oddly detached from her body silently urged her to give up: to let Naraku end her life with one blow, to join the others wherever they were.

Kagome ran, over dead black grass stained with blood. The bodies of wolves were scattered everywhere and it took great concentration not to trip over any of them. Kouga and his eastern wolf tribe had been ferocious warriors, up until the very end. Naraku had massacred them all, crushing them, poisoning them, cruelly tearing them from limb to limb. The wolf prince himself had been killed as he leapt into the fray with Inuyasha, the pair displaying rare teamwork in their concerted assault on Naraku.

"_**Come on, wolf!" snarled Inuyasha, letting fly with Tetsusaiga.**_

"_**It's you who should do more, pup!" shot back Kouga. **_

_**Naraku merely smirked as their attacks bounced off his barrier harmlessly. Miasma streamed out from under the barrier, disorienting the two.**_

_**Inuyasha fell back, wheezing and shaking his head to clear it. Kouga was less affected but he still sped around the barrier, both searching for an opportunity to land a devastating kick on their enemy and to escape the deadly fumes.**_

_**Naraku's eyes flashed, and razor-tipped tentacles shot from the barrier, directly at Inuyasha.**_

_**Kouga saw them and did the only thing he could.**_

_**He ran back in a wide arc and picking up speed, dashed forward, barreling into Inuyasha's shoulder headfirst. **_

"_**What – !" **_

"_**Move, you useless dog!" Kouga convulsed, the tentacles tearing right through his neck and torso. The appendages withdrew and the wolf youkai collapsed to the ground, choking on his own blood.**_

"_**Kouga!" Inuyasha rubbed frantically at his eyes and knelt at his comrade's side. No one else had seen him die.**_

"_**Take – take care…of Kagome… idiot pup." The life left Kouga's vibrant blue eyes in one final spasm.**_

_**Slowly, almost reverently, the hanyou reached out and closed the sightless eyes. He would mourn for his comrade – friend – later. **_

Kagome did not even know the wolf prince had been killed until she heard wild howling from Ginta and Hakkaku. She could not even shed tears for them as they were slain too in a desperate revenge attempt a few minutes later.

As she ran, she felt the quiver slung on her back. She was running low on arrows. Kagome knew she needed to save her arrows, the only weapons she could infuse with her spiritual energy.

_Hell lot of good the spiritual energy will do me._

Everyone was always telling her what a powerful miko she was, the sheer quantity of spiritual power she had inherited from Kikyo. It was not enough to save her previous incarnation.

_**Kikyo stood impassively on the edge of the battlefield, as always. She already had drawn back an arrow, ready to fire.**_

_**She let fly and the shaft hit home, blasting open a massive hole in Naraku's chest. A momentary look of surprise crossed his face before being replaced by an intolerable smugness. Poison solidified in the gaping wound and closed it up, leaving not even the slightest of scars.**_

"_**Your spiritual power counts for nothing, Kikyo, now that I have the entire Shikon jewel in my possession," taunted Naraku, red eyes glowing with triumph.**_

_**The dead priestess said nothing, notching another arrow in her bow.**_

"_**Hmph." **_

_**Kagome appeared at her incarnation's side, her white school blouse already darkened with blood.**_

"_**We should strike together at the Shikon jewel, maybe we can purify it," she suggested.**_

_**Kikyo's lips were pursed as she considered the idea and she finally nodded.**_

_**The two priestesses drew their arms back as they prepared to shoot. Waiting for an opening, they both spotted one and released at the same time.**_

_**Their arrows joined in mid-flight, becoming one large beam of purifying white light. Together, they pierced the Shikon jewel. Kagome saw a twinkle of light in the corner of the corrupted jewel.**_

"_**We did it!" she cheered. Naraku reared back, astonishment twisting his once-handsome features.**_

"_**No! I won't let you now that I have come this far!"**_

"_**Look out!" shouted Kagome, seizing Kikyo by her arm and beginning to drag her to safety. Before they could move, spears of agglutinated poison shot out of Naraku's body and rained onto them.**_

"_**Kagome!"**_

_**Inuyasha had appeared from nowhere. "Kaze no Kizu!" A wave of energy burst from Tetsusaiga, destroying the worst of the barrage.**_

_**But he was too late.**_

_**Kikyo fell to her knees, several long spears protruding from her body. The hanyou gave a cry of anguish and he caught the fatally wounded woman in his arms.**_

_**Kagome was right beside them. "I'll purify the poison. Kikyo, you can't die!"**_

_**She smiled weakly. "I already have."**_

_**The younger girl fought back tears as she placed her hands over the older miko's injuries. Warm energy flowed from her fingertips and into the holes.**_

_**It was to no avail. Kikyo closed her eyes for the final time in Inuyasha's arms.**_

"_**Kikyo…"**_

_**The hanyou's face was an inscrutable blank. **_

"_**Inuyasha, I'm sorry I couldn't save her this time…" wailed Kagome, tears streaming down her face.**_

"_**It's not your fault, Kagome," he said quietly. Strangely enough, she could hear him despite the noise of the battle. "You did what you could."**_

_**He lay her at one corner of the field, brushing back her long dark hair with his claws. Kagome hovered at the side, not knowing what to say. When at last he raised his head to look at her, a deep sadness still remained in Inuyasha's golden eyes.**_

"_**I will avenge her," he said.**_

Kagome's foot touched something hard. Kikyo's quiver! It lay discarded, the arrow fletches stained with blood. She bent down, scooping up the arrows and tossing them into her own quiver. Looking up again, she threw herself facedown to the grass, narrowly avoiding a barrage of crystallized poison spears aimed at her head. On bended knee, Kagome shot another arrow at her adversary, watching him writhe as purifying energy dissolved his tentacle.

_Keep moving,_she told herself, her breath coming in small gasps as she sprinted out of reach of his appendages. _He's too big, he can't catch me as long as I stay low._

A blast startled Kagome. Naraku shrieked as pieces of his body flew in multiple directions. Sesshomaru stood there, calmly wielding Tokijin in his hand.

"So it's the Lord of the Western Lands," said Naraku in a mocking voice as his body reformed. "Your hanyou brother is already dead at my hands."

The elegant youkai raised a single eyebrow in response. "He was not my brother." He struck fiercely, sweeping his sword in a downward arc, unleashing a burst of energy.

_Sesshomaru! He's still alive?_Kagome paused to catch her breath, bending over. She watched as Naraku was thrown backwards by the sheer force of Sesshomaru's attack. In his wake, he exposed a broken, crumpled body. The brown fur attached to it was matted with blood. Tears welled up in the young girl's eyes again.

"_**Kitsune-bi!" A wall of bright blue flames shot out, singeing Naraku's tentacles and forcing him to release Kagome's leg.**_

"_**Shippo-chan!" Kagome struggled to get to her feet, falling back with a whimper of pain.**_

_**The little kitsune ran over to her, grabbing her arm. "Come on, Kagome, we have to go!"**_

_**She managed to crawl out of Naraku's reach with Shippo's help. **_

_**Roaring with rage, the hanyou raised one tentacle.**_

"_**Kagome, watch out!"**_

_**Shippo leapt courageously in front of her, taking the impact on his small body. The lump form was tossed aside carelessly like a discarded plaything.**_

"_**Shippo-chan! No!" **_

_**Kagome was too emotionally numb to cry. She got to her feet, ignoring the stabs of pain that lanced through her leg and fired an arrow. It struck Naraku square in the back, drawing another cry as a chunk of his body was gouged out.**_

Without her realizing it, tears carved clean tracks on her blood-splattered cheeks. Kagome dabbed at them with her ragged sleeve, smearing the stains. She was practically drenched in blood, little of it her own, her white blouse clotted and torn.

"Sesshomaru!" The youkai turned his head in her general direction. "Attack him again!"

He obliged, sending out another wave of devastation. Kagome shot an arrow, the two forces combining to strike Naraku with a massive boom.

Retaliation came swiftly. Kagome and Sesshomaru split and ran as darts of poison rained where they were standing.

Forced back by the attack, Kagome found herself facing a gigantic crater and a mound of dead demons.

_The final resting places of Sango and Miroku._

_**The taijiya and the houshi fought valiantly, she with her Hiraikotsu cutting swathes through the ranks of the lesser demons sent by Naraku, he with his shakujou, holy sutras and Kazaana.**_

"_**Kazaana!" The void opened and sucked in hordes of demons, saimyosho included.**_

"_**Houshi-sama, no!" Sango ran to his side, desperately trying to close the Kazaana. He gently eased her hands away, shaking his head. Sweat glistened on Miroku's brow and he mopped it with his sleeve.**_

"_**This is the last battle, Sango. I have nothing left to lose." A faint smile crossed his features. "Besides, I would do it if it meant you would be safe."**_

_**She bit her lip, holding back the tears.**_

"_**I can't lose you."**_

_**He had no answer for that.**_

_**Reluctantly, Sango tore herself away, plunging into the melee with renewed vigour. She could hear the swishing sound of the shakujou as it sliced through their enemies. **_

_**Finally, they had defeated the minions. Naraku spared them a smirk.**_

"_**Sango and the monk. This is the end for both of you." No sooner than he had spoken, tentacles shot from his torso, attacking the pair. Kirara, seeing her mistress' plight, soared down to battle alongside.**_

_**Miroku, already weakened from the saimyosho poison, was too slow to dodge. Though he managed to throw up his staff in time to defend himself, a tentacle easily knocked it out of his grasp. He grunted as it penetrated his chest.**_

_**Sango had drawn her wakizashi, hacking away at the forest of tentacles. She had not seen Miroku fall, slicing wildly as dismembered parts littered the ground at her feet.**_

"_**Sango…" Gritting his teeth against the pain, Miroku hauled himself into an upright position, leaning on his shakujou. "Forgive me…for not keeping my promise to you." He tore off the prayer beads viciously in one sweep, breaking the string and letting the individual beads clatter everywhere. **_

_**Unleashed for good, the Kazaana began consuming Naraku, piece by piece. The pain in Miroku's arm was excruciating and he fell to his knees again. It took all of his strength just to aim his hand away from Sango.**_

_**The howl of the winds caught Sango's attention and she whirled around, fearing the worst. Beside her, Kirara bit and clawed at the limbs.**_

"_**Houshi-sama!"**_

_**Her momentary lapse of concentration proved fatal. With Miroku's voice in her ears shouting a warning too late, a tentacle impaled her back and protruded from her chest. Sango severed it with a flash of her wrist, letting the sword fall the next second. Their eyes locked for the briefest of instants.**_

_**The world became dark and blurry around her as the taijiya slumped to the grass, the noise of battle around her fading out gradually.**_

"_**Houshi-sama…forgive me for not keeping our promise," she whispered. **_

_**Miroku saw her fall, the tears leaking from his eyes being sucked into the Kazaana. Taking up his shakujou, he slit his palm open with its blade.**_

_**The cries of the wind intensified almost exponentially. Naraku screamed as more and more of his body fell victim to the Kazaana. Miroku doggedly held on, ignoring the blood ebbing from the fatal wound in his chest.**_

_**Just before the entity called Naraku could be entirely consumed, he threw up another barrier, draining the Shikon jewel of its power. The new barrier resisted even the Kazaana. Miroku knew it was the end, Naraku's maniacal laughter ringing in his ears.**_

"_**Sango…" With a last howl, the Kazaana consumed its bearer, leaving a smoking crater where the monk had been.**_

Kagome had been forced to watch it all, safely out of range of the deadly void, as her two friends died. It seemed a small blessing that each had not saw the other's moment of death.

Her breathing came in ragged heaves, thanks to a blow from Naraku which had impacted her chest, throwing her against a tree earlier. It had briefly stunned but not killed the young girl.

He had not been as kind to Inuyasha.

"_**Kaze no Kizu!" **_

_**The wave of energy slammed into Naraku, eroding half his chest away.**_

"_**I tire of you, Inuyasha!" snarled the conglomeration of demons, regenerating his body seamlessly. "Now you shall die!"**_

"_**Keh, I don't die that easily, bastard!" answered the hanyou, cleaving a limb into two with a slash of Tetsusaiga. "It's you who's gonna die today!"**_

_**He was replied with a smirk and a hailstorm of poison spears. Inuyasha easily dodged them all, vaporizing what was left with his sword.**_

_**A scream disrupted his focus.**_

"_**Inuyasha…" Kagome lay bleeding, a spear having pierced her abdomen.**_

"_**Kagome!" He darted forward and was promptly impaled himself on a number of spears.**_

"_**Ku ku ku…poor fool. You were so easily distracted." **_

_**Kagome vanished, leaving Inuyasha kneeling there, a look of surprise in his golden eyes. **_

"_**An illusion…"**_

"_**That's right, hanyou. You died for an illusion. It was so easy to separate you from that girl. Don't worry, she's still alive…for now.**_

"

_**Another blast rocketed Inuyasha off his feet and fastened him to a tree in the nearby forest.**_

"_**How ironic that you will die impaled to a tree again," taunted Naraku. **_

_**Inuyasha ignored him, focusing his remaining vision on the real Kagome, fighting in the distance.**_

"_**Kagome…"**_

_**Tetsusaiga fell with a clatter.**_

Kagome burned with rage. Naraku had not even allowed her to be with Inuyasha before he died.

_He will pay for everything he has done._

Overhead, Sesshomaru swiped at Naraku's head with his sword. "Aim for the Shikon jewel, Sesshomaru!" shouted Kagome, hoping her voice would carry to him.

She had not much time. Taking the last arrow from her quiver, she prayed that she had at least picked up some necessary skills from watching Kikyo and concentrated. The shaft glowed, imbued with energy. Kagome focused harder, until she felt the arrow throb, vibrating with barely suppressed power beneath her fingertips.

_Please let this work!_

Sesshomaru had descended beside her as she worked. Understanding her plan, he held his sword at the ready.

"Now!"

Kagome let the arrow fly, just as the Lord of the Western Lands blasted at Naraku with Tokijin's ultimate attack. They were not expecting the two forces to combine into a blinding wall of light, thundering in their enemy's direction.

Naraku had barely enough time to scream before it hit him. The creature which had once been Naraku disintegrated into dust, the light returning to the Shikon jewel as he died.

Kagome and Sesshomaru watched as the dying cries faded away into nothing, the Shikon jewel falling, coming to rest at the young girl's feet.

"It is over," said the elegant youkai in his toneless voice.

Kagome said nothing, kneeling and picking up the jewel. It glittered in her hand, seemingly innocent.

_This…this is what so many people and youkai have died for._

Slowly, her fingers closed around the gem, feeling the warm smooth surface. Rising, Kagome looked around her at the battlefield. Blood and bodies were everywhere, many of her friends and comrades still recognizable despite the frozen expressions of pain on their faces.

A soft rumbling beside her startled the girl. Kirara had limped up to her side, changing back into her kitten form in a burst of flame.

"Kirara." Kagome scooped up the nekomata, mindful of the numerous cuts all over her small body.

She keened, rubbing against Kagome's hand.

"I know, Kirara. Sango's dead." A lump rose in her throat. "Everyone else is dead. I'm glad you're alive, though."

The nekomata yowled and made a whining sound.

Kagome felt as though her heart was breaking all over again as the enormity of the losses sank in. Naraku had blighted so many lives and taken more. Clutching both Kirara and the Shikon jewel tightly to her chest, she made a wish.

"I wish Naraku had never existed."

**Author's Note: **Supposed to be a oneshot. Looks like it'll be a twoshot.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **When a very disturbed plot bunny demands to be written, you write it. Or prepare to be in for a world of pain.

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_The year 1444_

A group of motley bandits trudged through the dense forest, roaring with laughter. "That was a fine day, eh boys?" asked a heavily tattooed man, a bulging sack slung over his shoulder. Each of the men carried some loot from their raid.

"The best part was the women! Once they've taken off their clothes and stopped screaming, that is."

Raucous laughter broke out once again. One of them nudged his comrade with an elbow.

"You like the women best, don't you, Onigumo? Especially that skinny, frosty bitch." He leaned in. "You like to hurt them, make them scream," he rasped.

Onigumo's face twisted into a scowl. "Shut up, Tatsuo." he snapped, punching his upper arm.

Tatsuo grinned, exposing black and deformed teeth.

"Enough," ordered the chief sternly. "Stop that childish squabbling. I received news last night that a magistrate is traveling to take up his post in Kai. The procession from Edo will be passing this area tomorrow morning and we need to get ready."

His words were greeted with loud hooting and cheering from the others. Onigumo frowned. He had a bad feeling about the whole business.

The night passed quickly and soon, the bandits were arrayed around the woods, watching the procession pass.

Onigumo gripped the handle of his sword tightly. He was not able to shake the bad feeling which had haunted him since the night before.

"Kill them!" ordered the leader, drawing his own katana with a flourish.

The bandits rushed in, whooping, waving their katanas above their heads. The guards were taken by surprise and quite a number were killed.

The bandit chief had decided to set a wall of flames in the path ahead to prevent them from making a run for it. As he gave the signal, flames whooshed up, startling the horses.

The magistrate himself leapt from his horse and drawing his own katana, decapitated a bandit. "Kill them all!" he commanded. His troops responded with a roar, charging into battle with fresh vigour.

The bandits were rough men but they were no match for the schooled and disciplined samurai they faced, the main reason why the chief had elected for a surprise ambush. Now, they began to fall back, driven away by the swords of the magistrate and his men.

"Retreat!" roared the bandit chief, sensing defeat. An arrow flew through the air and stuck fast in his windpipe. The bandits cried out as they watched their leader fall.

It turned into a bloody massacre. The wall of flames was turned against them as the guards forced the bandits against the fire and slaughtered them.

Soon, Onigumo was left the only man standing, his sword shaking in his hand. The bodies of his fellows lay strewn around him.

The magistrate advanced, his trousers spattered with blood.

With a roar, he swung the sword. Onigumo parried. The blade slid off his own and caught the collar of his kimono, exposing the robber's torso. A large scar in the shape of the spider was burned into the exposed flesh.

"So! You are the one called the Spider!" accused the official, the tip of his blade pointed at the man's throat.

Onigumo said nothing.

With a downward flash of the blade, the magistrate opened up the bandit's throat, sending blood spraying over the place. The body slumped to the ground.

He cleaned the blood away with a flick of the sword. "Burn the corpses where they lay," instructed the magistrate. "Take anything of value with us."

The guards hastened to carry out their master's orders. Within a short period of time, the procession set off again, leaving a raging inferno in its wake.

The next morning after setting out, they encountered a young woman on the road. Wary of any strangers now, the magistrate sent a samurai ahead to question her.

"Good day, lady," he began. "My master, Magistrate Oda, is traveling to Kai to take up his post and he would like to know who you are. We were just attacked by bandits and my master thinks it wise to be cautious."

She smiled. "Your master is wise indeed, but he has nothing to fear from me." Gesturing at her attire, the young woman gazed back at the samurai. "As you can see, I am a humble village priestess."

He bowed at the waist. "Ah. I see, miko-dono. Forgive our impudence."

"Your party was attacked, you say?"

"Yes. All the robbers were killed."

The miko lowered her head. "I shall go and pray for their souls. Give your master my greetings."

The procession traveled on. The young girl soon reached the smoldering ashes of the massacre. Several skulls were still intact as were other bone remains but little else remained. She bowed her head, joining her hands together in prayer.

"Keh. Kikyo, what's this?"

A young man dressed in red had descended from the treetops in a single bound. His mane of silver hair with the pair of dog-like ears perched on his head suggested he was not completely human.

She regarded him with a smile. "Inuyasha, now are you not glad I asked you to wait in the forest? The magistrate and his men would have killed you if you were with me."

He snorted, folding his arms. "Keh. I would have killed them first. They're just weak humans. Like you."

"Such arrogance," she said teasingly, completely disregarding the insult. "Now, help me bury the bones."

Inuyasha stared at her in shock, golden eyes indignant. "What? Me, dig graves for bandits? You must be fucking mad." To emphasize his point, he kicked aside an unburnt body part which was marked with a spider-shaped burn.

Kikyo ignored him, turning around and continuing down the road in the direction from where she had come.

"Hey, where're you going?" Ears twitching, he followed her.

"I am going to fetch a shovel and dig the graves. You can help, if you like."

"Sure. If you give me the Shikon jewel."

The smile never left Kikyo's face. "You certainly do not give up easily. Ask me one more time and I will seal you to Goshinboku."

He scoffed. "If you could do that, you would have done it long ago."

"Maybe I do not want to do that to a hanyou as pathetic as you."

Inuyasha sniffed loudly and contemptuously.

"Keh."

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_The year 1494_

A young fox demon and his father were roaming the woods. Laughing, the child ran ahead, looking back at his father every now and then.

"Come on, Father!"

The older demon smiled. "You run ahead, Shippo. I'll catch up later."

Suddenly, the mood changed. Shippo's father tensed, sensing something.

"Shippo, come back here!" The kitsune cub obediently ran back, hiding behind his father's legs.

Two demons emerged from the undergrowth, one short and ugly, the other tall and handsome.

"Look here, brother Hiten. What do we have here?" said the short one, pulling at his whiskers.

The handsome one rubbed his chin, fingering the hilt of his spear with the other hand. "A pair of kitsune, brother Manten."

Shippo's father growled. "Leave us alone!"

In reply, Hiten raised his spear and attacked. The spear bit into the older kitsune's chest…

The demon reared back. "What the – "

He had impaled a large leaf on his weapon. In the sky, a pair of large pink spheres were flying away from the scene.

"Damn it! Fooled by the kitsune!" snarled Hiten, tossing his spear into the nearest tree. "If only we were more powerful…"

"Brother…why not we find the Shikon jewel? I heard it grants great demonic power. Besides, the miko guardian is getting on in years. It should be easy," suggested Manten.

The other demon cuffed him. "Idiot! Old as the woman may be, she's still got enough spiritual power to fry the both of us!"

"It was just a suggestion," whined the younger demon, rubbing his head.

"We should find easier targets," Hiten decided. "Come on, brother. Let's go."

They disappeared back into the forest.

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_The year 1495_

"Now, Buddhism consists of the Four Noble Truths…Miroku! Pay attention!" scolded the older monk.

Miroku sighed, shifting his legs. "The lotus position is killing me. Can we just skip class this afternoon and go visit the tavern? The girls miss me."

He was rewarded with a sharp rap over the head.

"Itai! Father!"

"How are you going to be a proper servant of Buddha, I do not know. It appears Mushin has been far from a positive influence on you, my boy," grumbled the older monk. Suddenly, his face changed and he leaned forward conspiratorially. "Besides, it is I the ladies prefer. Don't tell your mother."

Both father and son burst into laughter which was quickly stifled when a woman entered the room.

"Don't tell me what?" she asked, folding her arms and tapping her foot. Miroku stifled a laugh as he watched his father sweat.

"Tell you what, my love?" He yelped as she swooped on him, seizing him by the ear and shaking.

"I heard you! Sneaking off to the tavern with your son to drink and flirt, indeed! I find it hard to believe that I married a houshi, you philandering, cheating monk!"

"Now, now, my tennyo…"

Miroku rose to his feet and left the room, closing the sliding door behind him. He knew his father would talk his way out of the mess as he always did. After all, he had inherited his silver tongue from his father.

In a matter of months, Miroku would complete his Buddhist training and leave the monastery, roaming the land as an itinerant monk as his father and grandfather had before him. Eventually, he would meet a nice girl, settle down and have a family.

It was not the roaming which bothered him. His father, and grandfather before him, had taught him to perform 'exorcisms' to get food and lodging. Anyway, he was eager to see the world…and meet as many pretty girls as possible.

No, the main problem for Miroku was the girl he was going to marry in the distant future. Idly, he wondered how she would be like.

_She certainly has to be patient, like Mother is with Father, when I go out drinking._

He wanted a strong girl who could also be feminine. Straightforward but shy. One that could hold her own and yet be enchantingly vulnerable. Not submissive like most village girls. Of course, she had to be beautiful.

Miroku mentally reviewed the list he had come up with and laughed. _Where in Japan can one find a girl like that?_ He shook his head, running his hand through his hair. _It matters not. I have plenty of time._

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_The year 1496_

"Hiraikotsu!"

The giant boomerang soared through the air towards the pot placed on the wooden stake. It smashed the pot at an angle, leaving the stake untouched. Pivoting in her heel, Sango caught the Hiraikotsu as it returned to her.

"Excellent, Sango!"

Sango lowered the boomerang to the ground. "Father!"

The village headman stood there, wearing an expression of pride. "That was very well done, daughter."

"Thank you, Father. Only because you trained me."

He walked over and hugged her with an arm. "Let's go in. Kohaku and Kirara should be back soon and we haven't prepared the dinner."

Smiling, the young taijiya went into the house with her father.

They had only just finished preparing the rice when Kohaku returned.

"There you are, Kohaku, Kirara," said their father. The nekomata mewed, winding herself around both him and Sango.

"Where have you been, son? Training by yourself in the woods? I would expect you to train with your sister." He leaned forward, an expectant look in his eye.

Kohaku avoided his father's gaze. "Actually, Father…I was gathering herbs in the mountains."

The older man's face darkened instantly. "Gathering herbs!" he stormed. "Leave that to the other village women! Besides, we already have a good stock of medicines and poisons in the village store. You should be training with that new weapon of yours if you want to be as good a slayer as your sister."

"Father…maybe I'm not cut out to be a taijiya…" His voice trailed off.

"Not be a taijiya! How dare you! Our family – no, our village! – has exterminated demons for years! Sango is one of the best slayers in the village, so why, as my only son, can you not be one?"

Kohaku bowed his head. Sango moved to his side, putting a comforting hand around his shoulders.

"Father…maybe Kohaku's talents lie elsewhere?" she timidly suggested.

He brought his fist down on the polished wooden boards with a thump. "I will not tolerate this! Sango, make sure Kohaku trains with you daily from now on!" Their father got his feet and left the hut. Kirara lifted her head, looking at them, and gave a sympathetic mew.

Kohaku looked disconsolate. "Sango, I'm not as strong as you are. I can't even throw the kusari-gama without cutting myself. And…I'm scared of the demons."

She pursed her lips, lost in thought.

"Kohaku…maybe you just need some time. To tell you the truth…I'm a little scared of the demons too."

"No way," he said, astonished. "Not you!"

"Yes, and I still am," smiled Sango. "It's alright to be scared, Kohaku. It keeps us from getting complacent. And being complacent gets us hurt."

"Ane-ue…do you think I can be as good a slayer as you are and make Father proud of me?" Kirara purred loudly, settling on his shoulders.

She ruffled his hair. "Of course you can." Bending forward, Sango began cleaning up the dishes from dinner. "Now, help me clean up, and then we can work on your stance."

"At night?" he asked incredulously.

"Sure, why not?"

They were interrupted by a voice from outside.

"Sango, Kohaku, are you there?"

The siblings exited the hut, to find a bent old man standing there.

"Izuno-san, what is it?" asked Sango.

"Your father summons you to the gate, there is a visitor."

They nodded and began walking.

At the gate, they saw their father in deep conversation with a young man in robes, carrying a shakujou.

"Looks like a monk," muttered Kohaku. "What would he want?"

" – heard of a village of demon slayers from the people," Sango overheard the monk saying, her father nodding.

"Well, they were right, houshi-dono. I am Makoto, the headman of this village of demon slayers, and these are my son Kohaku and daughter Sango." Their father had caught sight of them from far away. Kohaku and Sango bowed politely, a gesture the monk returned.

"I am Miroku, a humble itinerant houshi."

Sango tried to avoid his penetrating gaze, two spots of colour appearing on her face. He was handsome in a boyish way, with violet eyes which seemed to sparkle with life. It was the eyes she found most unsettling.

"Forgive my impertinence, Makoto-sama, but your daughter is very beautiful." Her blush deepened.

"Despite that, and being of marriageable age, she has yet to be betrothed," replied the siblings' father casually. "But back to the issue at hand, houshi-dono?"

"Call me Miroku. Of course," said Miroku smoothly, tearing his gaze from Sango. "Some time ago, I arrived at a village a few days' travel from here and agreed to exorcise a demon plaguing the place. However, the demon proved too strong for me alone – " he rolled up his left sleeve, showing a bandaged arm – "and I am forced to swallow my pride and seek help. The villagers told me rumors about a clan of demon slayers from which the Shikon jewel originated…so here I am."

"I see. What type of demon is it?"

"It's a spider demon, but of unusual size and power." Abruptly, he lowered his voice. "The village is question is the current home of the Shikon jewel and that is why it is imperative the demon be exterminated as effectively and quickly as possible."

"Ah." Makoto rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He continued talking in his normal tone. "It seems like no major threat. But you're right, Miroku-sama, it is certainly too much for one person alone to handle."

"The reward will certainly be split equally between us."

"Sango? Why don't you go with Miroku-sama?"

She jumped as though she had been shocked with electricity. "What? Me?"

"Yes. You are competent enough to handle this on your own. I would send Kohaku with you but I think he is not yet ready. Anyway, the other slayers and I have another assignment. Don't look so horrified, daughter," he added, a smile crinkling his features. "It should be easy for you to slay that demon."

"It's not the demon I'm worried about," she muttered, glancing sideways at the smiling houshi. She immediately wished she had not, glimpsing his twinkling eyes staring back at her.

"Then it's decided. You will leave at first light tomorrow morning with Miroku-sama." Makoto made a sound of satisfaction. "Come, Miroku-sama. Let me show you to your lodging for the night."

Sango trailed after them, the look of horror still frozen on her face. How was it possible that she, Sango, the fearless taijiya, who stared down fearsome youkai, could be completely, totally thrown off balance by a man?

She slept badly that night. The monk had been a perfect gentleman, eating the food she gave him eagerly and even offering to wash the bowls for her. Yet, she could not shake the feeling that there was more to him than met the eye.

They left at daybreak, Kohaku waving them off. Kirara had opted to stay in the village with her younger brother, making Sango a little more unhappy. It meant she would be alone with the houshi for the entire trip.

The journey there had been surprisingly easy. Miroku was an engaging travel companion, making small talk along the way and sharing stories of his childhood and exploits. The only flaw in him appeared to be his incurable lechery, the common thread in each of the anecdotes he told. Feeling increasingly uneasy with the direction the conversation was going, Sango began gradually inching away from the charming young monk.

Suddenly, she felt a hand groping her butt.

"Hentai!" Mustering all her strength, she slapped him across the face, sending Miroku sprawling into the dusty road. Sango quickly unstrapped Hiraikotsu, ready to hit him.

"Sango-sama, I was just appreciating that lovely body of yours," he protested, rubbing his cheek.

"You lecher! Keep your hands to yourself!" Sango brained him with the giant boomerang and stormed off down the road.

Eventually, he caught up with her, apologizing for groping her and swearing to behave for the duration of the trip. She accepted it grudgingly, clearly suspecting Miroku would pull the same stunt again.

She was disappointed.

Some time later, they arrived at the village. The village miko was there to greet them, an elderly lady.

"Welcome back, houshi-dono. I see ye have brought the taijiya. Welcome to our humble village."

"Kaede-sama, it's good to see you," said Miroku pleasantly.

"Keh, about time," interjected a rough voice. A man with silver hair emerged from one of the huts. Blood-soaked bandages were wrapped around most of his body.

"Inuyasha-onii-saan, ye should not move yet. Your wounds are grievous," scolded the elderly miko.

"Yes, Inuyasha. Lie down and rest."

Another woman in miko's clothing emerged after him. He scoffed, then grimaced, clutching his chest.

Firmly leading a grumbling Inuyasha inside, she came out again and bowed.

"Please forgive my husband's behavior. He was badly injured when fighting that spider demon. He forgot he was no longer a hanyou and insisted on killing it."

"Not at all, Kikyo-sama," replied Miroku graciously. "Kaede-sama, Kikyo-sama, this is Sango-sama, the taijiya from the village where the Shikon jewel originated. Sango-sama, Kikyo-sama is the current guardian of the Shikon jewel."

The women exchanged greetings.

"We can only offer you a meager payment for slaying that creature," said Kaede apologetically. "The harvest this year is not very good."

"The payment is not important," answered Sango. "What matters is that the demon is killed."

"Damn it, Kikyo!" yelled a voice from inside the hut. "If I hadn't become a human fifty years ago, I would have killed that thing with one swipe of my claws!"

"If you had stayed a hanyou, you are going to outlive me, Inuyasha," she called back.

The grumbling from the hut quickly ceased.

"We will exterminate the demon immediately," said Miroku quickly.

While Sango went to change into her demon-slaying outfit, Miroku stocked up on sutras. His eyes widened when she returned, traveling up and down, taking in the form-hugging black leotard.

"Tell me where the demon's lair is, Kaede-sama," she said pointedly, ignoring him.

***************************************************************************************************************

The houshi and the taijiya were starting off on their journey back to the demon slayers' village.

"That was brilliant, Sango-sama!" said Miroku appreciatively. "I cannot believe you took out the demon like that."

"It's nothing really, Houshi-sama," she said modestly. "I have had experience with this kind of demons beforehand."

He glanced at the giant boomerang slung over Sango's shoulder appreciatively. "That is an impressive weapon – the Hiraikotsu? I am amazed you handle a weapon much bigger than yourself with such ease and grace."

Sango found herself blushing again.

When they arrived back, Kohaku and Kirara were there to greet them.

"Welcome back, Ane-ue, Miroku-sama!" he called. Kirara mewed, curling around Sango's ankles.

"Kohaku!" Sango embraced her younger brother warmly.

Makoto came to welcome them. "Sango. Miroku-sama. Did you have a safe journey?"

"Yes, Father." Sango decided to let the groping incident go.

"Makoto-sama, thank you for your hospitality and the company of your lovely daughter, but I must

be on my way."

"Wait."

Sango had blurted out unexpectedly, her father and Kohaku giving her odd looks.

"Won't – Won't you stay for dinner, Houshi-sama?"

He looked momentarily stunned, then a broad grin spread over his face.

"I would be honored."

***************************************************************************************************************

_The year 1996_

"Kagome! You're going to be late for school!"

The girl squealed, grabbing her yellow backpack and hurtling down the stairs at breakneck speed. "'Bye, Mama, Souta, Ojii-san!"

She was out the door and running down the stone steps of the Higurashi shrine.

"I'm going to be late!" she muttered through gritted teeth as she startled passerbys, flying through the streets of Tokyo.

Her friends were waiting for her at the school gate. "Come on, Kagome-chan!" Together, they entered the building just as the bell went.

Throughout the school day, Kagome was oddly quiet and pensive, daydreaming through her classes.

"What's with you today, Kagome-chan?" asked Yuka later, as the girls walked home. "You were miles away!"

"Yeah, like the Sengoku Jidai!" chimed in Eri. The girls burst into laughter, Kagome managing a small smile.

_Why does that feel so strange? It feels…almost right, _she thought.

After dinner, she entered the old shrine on the corner of the compound which housed the Bone Eater's Well. Perching on the edge of the opening, Kagome stared at the blackness inside. Somehow, it always reminded her of that old legend Ojii-san loved to tell, about an ancient magical jewel called the Shikon jewel which could grant wishes.

_I feel as though I should be somewhere else…that someone there needs me._

The feeling passed. Getting to her feet, Kagome left to prepare for another ordinary day of school.

**Author's Note: **That's over and out of my system. I apologise for the Inuyasha/Kikyo pairing…it was unavoidable, since Naraku doesn't exist. And I'm a Sango/Miroku fan.


End file.
